RHT’s Use of Remotely Operated Vehicles

Faculty in the School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism (RHT) are using VideoRay’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV) as an educational tool for young people and adults to explore underwater environments. Specifically, faculty use the ROV—which has the capability to reach depths of 500 feet underwater—to allow people to engage with marine environments. Users observe aquatic life, view marine habitats, and explore archaeological sites such as shipwrecks. Participants in educational and recreational programs are given the opportunity to operate the ROV or observe the ROV being operated at a variety of lake, ocean, and river levels, while having real-time discussion with environmental educational facilitators. Over the past few years, RHT faculty also have been systematically gathering data regarding the perceptions of the people using the ROV. The results from these studies have been shared in a variety of academic conferences, as well as practitioner settings.